It was said: The scholars of interpretation have differed regarding the meaning of that. We shall mention what they said concerning it, then clarify the correct interpretation thereof, if Allah wills:

380- Muḥammad ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us, He said: Salama ibn al-Faḍl narrated to us, from Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq, from Muḥammad ibn Abī Muḥammad, the freed slave of Zayd ibn Thābit, from ʿIkrima, or from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, from Ibn ʿAbbās: {These are they who have purchased error at the price of guidance}, meaning disbelief in exchange for faith.

381- Mūsā ibn Hārūn narrated to me, He said: ʿAmr narrated to us, He said: Asbāṭ narrated to us, from al-Suddī, in a report he mentioned, from Abū Mālik, and from Abū Ṣāliḥ, from Ibn ʿAbbās—and from Murra, from Ibn Masʿūd, and from people among the Companions of the Prophet, Peace and blessings of God be upon him: {These are they who have purchased error at the price of guidance}, He said: They took misguidance and abandoned guidance.

382- Bishr ibn Muʿādh narrated to us, He said: Yazīd narrated to us, from Saʿīd, from Qatāda: {These are they who have purchased error at the price of guidance}, they preferred misguidance over guidance.

383- Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr narrated to me, He said: Abū ʿĀṣim narrated to us, He said: ʿĪsā ibn Maymūn narrated to us, from Ibn Abī Najīḥ, from Mujāhid, regarding His statement: {These are they who have purchased error at the price of guidance}, they believed then disbelieved.

384- Al-Muthannā narrated to us, He said: Abū Ḥudhayfa narrated to us, He said: Shibl narrated to us, from Ibn Abī Najīḥ, from Mujāhid, the like thereof (1).

Abū Jaʿfar said: It is as if those who said regarding the interpretation of that: "They took misguidance and abandoned guidance"—directed the meaning of purchasing to taking the item bought in place of the price given for it; so they said: Likewise, the hypocrite and the disbeliever have taken disbelief in place of faith, so that constituted from them a purchasing